Sergei Lavrov will meet his Moldovan counterpart Natalia Gherman on July 24

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MOSCOW, July 22 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet his Moldovan counterpart Natalia Gherman on July 24 for talks on deeper trade and economic relations and the Transdniestrian settlement, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Monday.

“The talks will focus on prospects for the development of bilateral relations and cooperation on the European and regional tracks,” Zakharova said.

“The parties will continue talks on ways to increase the efficiency of integration cooperation within the CIS. Due to the fact that the free trade agreement comes into effect Moldova’s participation in the CIS can be an important supplement to its European vector,” the diplomat said.

“Much attention is riveted to the upcoming visit to Moldova by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and to the upcoming meeting between the co-chairmen of the inter-governmental commission on economic cooperation - Russian vice-premier Dmitry Rogozin and his Moldovan counterpart Valeriu Lazar,” Zakharova said.

The Transdniestrian settlement will be in the focus of the ministerial meeting, the Russian diplomat said. “An overall analysis is indispensable. Much depends on the Moldovan leadership to restore trust between the parties in compliance with the principle of equality,” she said.

“Russian mediators believe that the conditions for discussing issues within the 5+2 format have not been created yet. The parties should take real steps to show their readiness for resolving the problem,” Zakharova said.

“There is certain progress in solving practical problems: for example, an agreement to dismantle a cable tramway across the Dniester River. Officials of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry are studying chances to destroy it. Thus, the ‘small steps’ tactics justify itself,” the diplomat said.